Switzerland's largest telecommunications operator, Swisscom, says it is transferring its holdings in Swisscom Directories (51 per cent) and PubliDirect (49 per cent) to its Internet services provider, Bluewin.

A statement on Friday said the transfer would make it possible for Bluewin and PubliGroupe to expand their joint range of online directory services substantially.

Swisscom Directories and Publidirect were created at the beginning of 1999 from the partnership between Swisscom and PubliGroupe.

Swisscom Directories offers address and telephone directories online and in print. In addition to the classic telephone book, it also provides business services in the communication field for small and medium-sized enterprises.

PubliDirect publishes through a subsidiary the "Yellow Pages" and rougly 100 local telephone directories in Switzerland.

"The strategic paretnership with PubliGroupe will make it possible for us to offer attractive additional services for the Internet users on our portal and to increase the use of the portal," said Christoph Brand, chief executive officer of Bluewin.

"Electronic directories are one of the most used contents on the Internet," he added.

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